Eat ostrich, kangaroo and other wild game at Larose fundraiser

Tuesday

Feb 26, 2013 at 9:27 PM

Ever taste nutria? Or rabbit ravioli?You can Thursday at the 16th annual Wild Game Supper in Larose.

Kris JohnsonStaff Writer

Ever taste nutria? Or rabbit ravioli?You can Thursday at the 16th annual Wild Game Supper in Larose. The fundraiser for the Larose Regional Park and Civic Center is set for 5:30 p.m. at the center, 307 E. Fifth St. “The money all goes to our endowment fund, which is very important to us because we don't get parish, state or federal funds,” said Jasmine Ayo, director of the Larose Regional Park and Civic Center. “We run solely on donations.” The supper includes a cash bar, mounted wildlife, live music, an auction and a buffet of more than 40 dishes made from animals such as elk, moose, rabbit and buffalo. “People really enjoy the food, which is truly Cajun. But I always say we also have people come for the people. It's a good time,” Ayo said. “It's the animal mounts that are exotics from all over the world. It's the different dishes.” Those different dishes that may stand out this year include ostrich, kangaroo and llama.There was also a 2,000-pound buffalo killed just for this year's supper, Ayo said. “You can't really find the animal mounts and the game to eat all in one place like this unless you go to see someone's private collection,” she said. The event draws roughly 1,000 attendees each year.What draws locals to the festival is the “unbelievable taxidermy exhibit we put on,” said Travis Terrebonne, chairman of the festival's planning committee.“Just that alone is worth the price of admission,” Terrebonne said. “We have animals from Africa, Europe, Southeast Asia and other places across the world mounted for everyone to look at.” The cooked game is prepared by local chefs, another reason organizers said the festival is so well received. “There's no catering. They'll be cooking on black-iron fires and barbecue grills,” Terrebonne said. Started by the late John Brady, founder of the LaTelco phone company in south Lafourche, the supper is a fundraiser that used to be held at LaTelco.According to Civic Center officials, the tradition started more than 20 years ago when a group of friends gathered to chat, play cards and dine on whatever they caught during the winter hunting season.The meal originally involved only a couple of dishes, but each year it expanded until the event outgrew its warehouse venue.After not being held for two years, the Wild Game Supper returned in 1999.While seeing mounted wildlife and hearing live Cajun music makes for a fun evening, the fundraiser's signature touch comes from its meal, which features a buffet of exotic animals and local wildlife turned into south Louisiana-style étouffées, jambalayas, gumbos, sausages, stews and courtbouillons. The menu includes more than 55 dishes with names such as kangaroo stir fry, alligator Alfredo, bison loin stuffed with green onion sausage and wild boar stew.One feature this year will be awards in divisions ranging from fin to feather to fur. The competition started in 2011. Attendees will be given a ballot when they walk in. They'll select their favorite dishes, and winners will be announced at the end of the night, including the best overall dish.Someone will also be named the festival's “Outdoor Icon,” an annual award given to a volunteer who has made a lifelong commitment to the Larose Civic Center. A cracklin cook-off has been added this year to the dinner. Winners will receive a plaque. For tickets, you can make a $55 donation per person or $650 donation for a table of eight, which includes a personal waiter and a bottle of wine. A sponsored table of eight costs $900. Donations may be sent, along with a postage-paid return envelope, to the LRP Endowment Fund, P.O. Box 1105, Larose, LA 70373. Donors receive return mailed tickets to the Wild Game Supper.You may also visit the civic center office to pick up tickets. All tickets must be purchased in advance. For information, call 693-7355.

Staff Writer Kris Johnson can be reached at 857-2207 or kris.johnson@houmatoday.com